Professor gives keynote speech in South Korea

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Bonita Kolb, Ph.D., associate professor of business administration at Lycoming College, was the keynote speaker at the 2013 Asia Culture Forum in Gwangju, South Korea, Sept. 9. Her speech, “Using Technology to Enhance the Attendance Experience,” focused on the positive integration of technology into the cultural experience.

“The idea is that rather than fighting technology — as cultural events tend to do — we should actually use it by providing a way for people to express how they feel about the experience,” Kolb said. She jokingly calls the idea “Please Turn on Your Phones.” “For the new generation, communicating about the experience to someone is as important as the experience itself,” Kolb added. “For many people, if they are at someplace exciting, they immediately have to text someone about the experience. Now, relaying the experience is part of the experience.”

Her presentation was organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Gwangju. Kolb spent a week in South Korea, where the first edition of her book, “Marketing for Cultural Organizations: New Strategies for Attracting Audiences,” is the standard text for cultural management programs, according to Kolb. She also presented the lecture, “Building a Community through Marketing the Cultural Center,” during the “Start Camp” for cultural management students at the Asia Culture Academy.

Lycoming College is a four-year, residential liberal arts and sciences school dedicated to the undergraduate education of 1,400 students. Its rigorous academic program, vibrant residential community and supportive faculty foster successful student outcomes. Lycoming offers 36 academic majors and is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1812 and located near the banks of the Susquehanna River in Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming is one of the 50 oldest colleges in the nation. For more information, visit www.lycoming.edu.